Elevator governor



A ril 25, 1933. NL P 1,905,274

ELEVATOR GOVERNOR Filed Dec. 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 r 6 I f k X 1 E 1 .5 23 f w j 3 r f 1 6 fil 7 E g 0 WITNESSES INVENTOR W M James DWI/0p y. 7. 7% WM ATTORNEY April 25, 1933. J. DUNLOP ELEVATOR GOVERNOR Filed Dec. 27, 1930 4 Sheets$heet 2 INVENTOR James film/0p WITNESSES ATTORNEY April 25, 1933. DUNLOP ELEVATOR GOVERNOR Filed Dec. 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES A'TTORNEY ELEVATOR GOVERNOR Filed Dec. 27, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR James film/0p WITNESSES ATTORNEY JAMES DUNLOP, OF PARK RIDGE,

l a-tented Apr. 25, 1933 Aren't. .ricE

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 6t ELEVATOR GOVERNOR Application filed December 27, 1930. Serial No. 505,117.

My invention relates to elevator governors, and more specifically to combined inertia speed governors for tripping the governor rope-gripping jaws.

An object of my invention is to provide aninertia governor which will apply the safety device when the acceleration of the car exceeds a predetermined rate, whereby, in case of emergency, the car safety device will be applied before the car has attained an excessively high rate of speed.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an elevator governor which will trip the rope-gripping jaws to set. the safety device in response to either excessive speed or acceleration of the elevator car.

A further object of my invention is to provide a unitary governor structure wherein the rope-gripping jaws are tripped by either an overspeed governor or an lnertia governor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a compact inertia-speed governor which shall be of simple construction and positive in its operation.

The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fi ure 1 is a view, in front elevation, of

an elevator system and a simple form of my combined inertia speed governor,

Fig. 2 is a view, in side elevation, of the elevator system and inertia on line D-D of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, in front elevation, partly in section, showing another embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 4 is a view, in side elevation, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view thereof, taken on section line VV of Fig. 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises an elevator car 0 supported by a hoist cable Ca which may pass over a conventional hoist sheave (not shown).

- toward governor, taken A governor rope 1 passes over a governor sheave 2 at the top of the hatchway and under an idler sheave 3 at the bottom of the hatchway. A Mini ball 4 is attached to the governor rope 1 and is releasably received by a spring clip 5 on the car, whereby the governor. rope is constrained to move the car up and down the hatchway. The car C and its accessories are necessarily shown on a smaller scale than is the remainder of the systei The governor rope 1, passing over the governor sheave 2,, drives, the sheave at speeds corresponding to the speed oft-he car. An over-speed governor 6,, supported on a vertical shaft 7, is, in turn, driven by the governor sheave 2 through its shaft '8 and bevel gears 9 and 11. The speed governor 6 moves a pivoted lever 12 up and down, in accordance with the speed of the elevator.

Disposed on opposite sides of the governor rope are a pair of pivotally-mounted ropegripping jaws 15 and 16 which are biased rope-gripping able means, such as the wei ht l7. The jaws are interconnected in the conventional manner, and the movement of one jaw'toward the'rope causes the other to move similarly.

A tooth 18. projects laterally from the side of one of the rope-gripping jaws 15 and is normally engaged by a pivoted pawl 19 which holds the aws away from the governor rope in opposition to the biasing force applied by the weight 17. The position of the pivoted pawl 19 is controlled by the pivoted governor-lever 12, to which it is connected by a flexible member 21 which may pass around a suitable deflecting pulley 22 When the speed of the elevator car becomes excessive, the free end of the governor lever 12 will be lifted by the governor, and will pull up the flexible the pawl 19 will be moved out of restraining relation with reference to the tooth 18. The ropegripping jaws 15 and 16' will then be tripped to rope-gripping position by weight 17 to grip and hold the governor rope.

position by anysuit- A member 21 so that A conventional car safety device S, of the type which is actuated to grip the guide rails and retard the car when a safety cable 23 is unreeled from the safety drum, is car-- ried by the car. One end of the safety cable 23 is attached to the governor rope 1 by the Mini ball 4, whereby the safety device will be applied when the rope-gripping .jaws 15 and 16 are tripped.

an inertia lever 24 which is mounted on the.

shaft 8 for free pivotal movement relative thereto. A biasing spring 25 normally holds the inertia lever 24 in abutting relation to a stationary stop 26. .A shaft 27 journalled in one end of the inertia lever, carries a relatively massive balance wheel 28 at one end thereof and a pinion 29'at the other. The pinion 29 is disposed in operative relation to a gear 31 attached to the side of the sheave. A flexible connector 32 extends from one end of the inertia lever 24 to the pivoted pawl 19, whereby movement of the lever 24 away from the stop member 26 will be effective to trip the jaws 15 and 16 to rope-gripping position.

My invention is more readily understood, however, when described with reference to an assumed operation thereof.

Assume that the car C is travel ing down the hatchway and that, as it descends, its speed increases abnormally because of a defective control system, broken hoist cables, or some other unusual condition. The initial result of the movement of the car at an excessive rate of speed is the operation of the governor 6 to lift the pivoted governor lever 12, thereby pulling up the flexible member 21 and withdrawing the pivoted latch 19 from engaging relation to the tooth 18 on the rope-gripping jaw 15. The rope-gripping jaws, being released, are then rotated to rope-engaging position by the biasing weight 17.

As the jaws 15 and 16 engage the governor rope 1, the motion of the latter downward tends to rotate them into still closer engage ment therewith, and the governor rope is gripped and securely locked. The continued downward motion of the car then causes the Mini ball 4 to be pulled free from the releasable spring clip 5, and the safety cable 23 is unreeled from the safety drum, thereby applying the safety device and retarding the car.

During the operation of the car at normal speeds, or even at abnormally high speeds, the spur gear 31 drives the pinion 29'and its associated balance wheel 28 at speeds corresponding thereto, but the biasing spring 25 applies suflicient force to hold the inertia lever 24 in abutting engagement with the stop 26. Assuming, however, that the car' accelerates at an abnormal rate, either from rest or from its normal speed, the force necessary to accelerate the balance wheel 28 will become greater than the biasing force supplied by the spring 25, and the pivoted inertia lever 24 will be rotated away from the stop member. The movement of the inertia lever away from its stop 26 pulls up the flexible member 32, thereby withdrawing the pivoted latch 19 from engaging relation to the tooth 18 on the rope-gripping jaw 15. The jaws, being released, are moved by the weight 17 to rope-gripping position. The governor rope is thereby securely locked against further movement, and the continued downward motion of the car unreels the safety cable 23 and sets the safety device in a manner similar to that resulting from overspeeding.

The embodiment of. my invention shown inFigs. 3,4 and 5 comprises a governor sheave '41 rotatably supported by shaft 42 which is horizontally journallcd in a heavy frame structure 43. A governor rope 1 passes around the sheave 41 and extends down the hatchway where it is releasably secured to an elevator car (not shown).

. The governor rope 1 drives the sheave 41 and its drive shaft 42 at speeds corresponding to the speed of the elevator car, in a manner similar to that disclosed with reference-to Figs. 1 and 2.

The inner end of the shaft 42 carries a bevel gear 45 keyed thereto. A shaft 46 is vertically journalled in the upper extremity of the frame 43 and carries an overspeed governor 47. A bevel gear 48, which is keyed to the lower end of the governor shaft 46, is disposed in cooperative engagement with the bevel gear 45 on the drive shaft 42, whereby the governor 47 is driven at speeds corresponding to the speed of the sheave 41. v

A pivoted lever 51, of forked-shape (as shown in Fig. 5), is disposed adjacent to a flanged collar 52 on the governor 47 which is raised or lowered by the governor in ac cordance with the speed of the sheave (see Figs. 3 and 4). Pins 53 protrude inwardly from the lever into the annular flange of the collar, whereby the lever is constrained to follow the collar. One end of the lever 51 is anchored to the frame 43 by a link 54 but the other end thereof is free to travel up and down, with a multiplied degree of movement, as the flanged collar 51 on the governor rises and falls in accordance with the speed of the sheave 41.

A vertically disposed actuator-bar 55 is provided with a slot 56 adjacent to its upper end which receives a pin or bolt 57, extending through the free end of the pivoted governor lever 51 to which it is thereby slidably secured. The pin-and-slot connection,

. leased. The shaft 63 is then by whichthe actuator bar is attached to the pivoted governor lever '51,:permits it to be raised or lowered thereby in accordance with the speed of the elevator car but, at the same time, leaves'it free tobe lifted by the inertia governor, independently of the speed governor. V r g The structure of the actuating mechanism, for the'rope-g1'ipping jaws, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, comprises a shaft 63 journalled in bearing brackets 64, 65. and 66 mounted on a base plate 67. One of the rope-gripping jaws 15 is carried by, and keyed to, the shaft 63, and the other jaw is not shown. 'A spring drum 71 is supported on the shaft 63 on circular end pieces 7 2 and guides a spring 73, which is concentrically disposed about the drum and is anchored, by a pin 74, to an end plate 75 rising from the base plate The other end of the coiled spring 73 extends beyond the end of the drums to constitute a hook 76. Mounted securely on the shaft 63 or keyedthereto is'a spring tensioning lever 77 which is engaged by the hook 76 extending from the end of the spring 73. The coiled spring-73 is-tensioned when it is hooked over the leverr77, and the latter servesthereafterto hold the spring in tensioned condition. Since one end of the spring 73 is anchoredlirmly to the bed plate and the other end is hooked about the lever 77, which is keyed to the shaft 63, it will be apparent that the spring continually applies a biasing force which tends to rotate the shaft in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4.

A guide lever 81 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 63 for free movement relative thereto and extends laterally for pivotal connection to the lower end of the actuator bar 55 which is guided thereby. Secured at an intermediate position on the actuator bar 55 is a bracket 82 which supports a stoproller 83 adjacent to the freeend of the "spring-tensioning lever 77, whereby the latter is normally restrained in position to hold the shaft 63 and rope-gripping jaw 15 in disengaging relation to the governor rope 1 in opposition to the biasing force applied by the coiled spring.

The roller 83 is carried by a pin 84 which extends through a slot 85 in the bracket. hen the overspeed governor operates to lift the actuator-bar 55, the guide lever 81 K turns freely on the shaft 63 and guides the movement of the lower end of the bar. As the actuator bar 55 rises, the stop roller 83 moves toward the end of the tensioning lever with very little friction. If the speed becomes excessive, the roller 83 rides upon the corner of the end of the s ring tensioning lever 77, with the result t at the roller is snapped upward into the slot 85, and the spring tensioning lever 77 is suddenly rerotated, in a counterclockwise direction, by the spring 73, and the jaws 15 and 16 are turned to rope-gripping position to grip and hold the governor rope,as set forth with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The restraining roller 83 in the slotted bracket 82 not only releases quickly but is practically frictionless in its operation. V

The operation of the rope-gripping jaws is also effected whenever the rate of acceleration becomes excessive. For this purpose, an inertia lever 91 is journalled on the shaft 42 for free movement relative thereto. In one end of the lever 91 is journalleda shaft 92 which carries a small fly wheel 93 on one end thereof an a pinion 94 on the other end (see Fig.5). A large spur gear 95 is secured to the spokes of the governor sheave 41 in any suitable manner, as by welding, and the pinion 94 is disposed in operative relation thereto. A coiled biasing spring 96 is anchored at one end to the pedestal 97 of the frame 43 by a. bracket 98 and an adjustable bolt 99, and the otherend of the spring is secured to the inertia lever 91. A hooked stop member 101 is supported by a bracket 102 adjacent to the opposite end of the in ertia lever 91 which is normally held inabutting relation thereto by the biasing spring 96. V g

When the elevator accelerates at a nor? mal rate, the balance wheel v93 on the end of the lever 91 isaccelerated accordingly, and the spring 96 is so adjusted that it will hold the lever 91 in abutting relation to the stop member 101. If, however, the car acceler ates at an excessive rate, the force necessary to accelerate the balance 93 wheel becomes greater than the biasing force supplied by the spring 96 and the end of the lever 91 is moved downwardly out of engaging relation to the stop member 101.

In order to lift the actuator bar 55 andtrip the rope-gripping jaws 15 and '16 when this occurs, a lever 103 is provided which is pivotally mounted on a pin 104 extending through the frame 43. One encJef the lever 103 extends below the end of the inertia lever which engages the hooked stop member. (See Fig. 3.) he other end extends under a projection 105 extending from the actuator bar (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5). It will be apparent that, when the end of the lever 103, adjacent to the inertia lever, is depressed by the movement of the latter away from the hooked stop member, the other end will rise and lift the actuator bar.

Because of thepin-and-slot connection of the actuator bar 55 to the speed governor 47 actuation of the rope-gripping jaws 15 and 16 may be accomplished by the inertia governor, irrespective of the simultaneous position ofthe speed governor. lt will be apparent that the rope-gripping jaws 15 and 16 will be turned to rope-gripping po-' sition in the manner previously set forth, irrespective of whether the actuator bar 55 is lifted by the speed governor or by the inertia governor. Although the device shown in Figs. 3, l and 5 differs in mechanical details, it will be apparent that it operates on the same general principles as the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be seen that I have provided a combined speed-inertia governor of simple unitary construction which operates positively to set the governor rope-gripping jaws responsive to either excessive speed or excesssive acceleration.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except as necessitated by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a combined overspeed and acceleration governor for elevators, an overspeed governor, an inertia governor, means for driving said governors in accordance with the speed of the elevator car, rope-gripping jaws, and means for actuating the jaws to rope-gripping position, said means being re-' sponsive'to either governor, irrespective of the position of the other.

2. An inertia governor comprising a governor sheave actuable by a governor rope at speeds corresponding to the speed of an elevator car, a shaft supporting said sheave and rotatable thereby, a stationary stop member, an inertia lever mounted for free pivotal movement on said shaft and normally biased in abutting relation to said stop member, an inertia wheel journaled on said lever, means for driving said inertia wheel from the sheave with such direction of rotation that its moment of inertia tends to move it away from the stop member when the car accelerates downwardly, a pair of rope-gripping jaws, and means for tripping the jaws to rope-gripping position when the inertia lever is moved away from the stop member.

3. An inertia governor comprising a governor sheave actuable by a governor rope at speeds corresponding to the speed of an elevator car, a shaft supporting said sheave and rotatable thereby, a stationary stop .member, an inertia lever mounted for free pivotal movement on said shaft and normally biased in abutting relation to said stop member, an inertia wheel journaled on said lever, means for driving said inertia wheel .from the sheave with such direction of rotation that its moment of inertia tends to move it away from the stop member when the car accelerates downwardly, a pair of rope-gripping jaws, means for normally biasing the jaws to rope-gripping position, a quick-releasable restraining means for normally holding said jaws in ineffective position, and

means for moving said restraining means to effective position to trip said jaws to ropegripping position when the inertia lever is moved away from the stop member.

4;. In a quick-releasable device for gripping an elevator governor rope to apply the safety device, a pair of rope-gripping jaws, means for biasing the jaws to rope-gripping position, a laterally projecting extension, means for retaining the rope-gripping jaws in an ineffective position comprising a retaining roller'and a slotted bracket for normally holding the roller in abutting relation to the lateral extension, and means responsive to an emergency condition for moving the retainerroller adjacent to the extremity of the laterally projecting extension, whereby the retaining roller will be snapped aside and the jaws suddenly tripped to rope-gripping position.

5. In a safety actuating device for elevators, an independently adjustable overspeed governor, an independently adjustable inertia governor, means for driving said governors in accordance with the speed of an elevator car and actuating means connected for operation by either governor irrespective of the position of'the other.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th day of December, 1930. I

JAMES DUNLOP. 

